Thermogravimetric Analysis of Raw and Demineralized Biomass Materials

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was employed to study the pyrolysis characteristics of two biomass materials (poplar and pine wood) and their demineralized samples under nitrogen atmosphere. Based on the experimental results, the pyrolysis kinetics were calculated. The results indicated that the starting and ending time of devolatilization were delayed after the demineralization of the biomass. For all the materials, the temperature of the maximum weight loss rate occurred at around 390 degrees C, while the maximum values increased a little after demineralization. The pine wood was more difficult to decompose than the poplar wood, due to its high activation energy values. In addition, after demineralization, the activation energy values of the pine wood decreased, while the values of the poplar wood were not significantly changed.